PREFATORY NOTE. WHEN the first part of this work (the editorial supervision of which was committed to my charge) was placed in the hands of the printer, in the spring of 1854, it was intended that it should consist of a few not lengthy papers by my friends, SENEX and J. B., and myself. The respected Publisher, accordingly, deemed that it would be more fitting that it should appear as a continuation of, or supplement to, vol. ii. of Glasgow: Past and Present, than that it should take rank as a separate volume. Meanwhile, the matter in the hands of my friends extended so much in bulk and interest, that it has eventually swelled into a book more voluminous than the two preceding volumes put together; and it has, at the same time, entirely pressed out the papers which had been prepared as my share of the contribution -an omission, however, which the public has no cause to regard with any serious feeling of regret. This accidental discrepancy between early plans and actual results must be taken as the only apology which can now be offered for the awkward arrangement by which the pages of this work consecutively follow the numbers of those of volume ii. The greater part of the contributions of SENEX appeared in the Glasgow Herald newspaper, at intervals between the close of 1851 and the close of 1855; and the largely-expressed desire that they should be gathered together in an enduring form, like the other interesting reminiscences of the same able writer, published in vol. ii., gave the first idea of the present work. The writings of J. B., elaborated from documents and oral data of unquestionable authenticity, and which throw a perfect flood of light upon Glasgow of the olden time, are entirely original; and his truly valuable paper on Wolfe almost deserves the same character, for it is vastly improved and extended, as compared with the shape it originally assumed in the pages of a magazine. I have been requested by J. B. to express his best acknowledgments to the gentlemen of the Faculty of Procurators, who courteously allowed him liberal access to many rare and valuable papers under their charge, relating to the Old City, from which he derived much useful information, while preparing these sketches. JAMES PAGAN. GLASGOW, 1st January, 1856. ... The Year 1783-American Independence-James Monteith, Esq., of Blantyre, The Grays of Dalmarnock-Glasgow Coal Trade in the Olden Time,... Reminiscences of Ancient People, Ancient Buildings, and Ancient Customs, [Containing incidental Notices of the early Founders of, and Residenters in |